SPAR Roscommon FAI Primary School 5s Roundup
The last number of weeks have seen almost 50 schools enter almost 110 teams in the SPAR FAI Primary School 5s competition, an annual competition, which for the last 3 years has seen its national finals played in the Aviva Stadium in Dublin. There are a number of different categories in the competition, catering for schools of varying sizes.
The most common category for primary schools in Roscommon, is the ‘A’ section, both for boys and girls. 46 boys’ teams and 31 girls’ teams have been whittled down to 12 finalists in the boys’ section and 10 in the girls’. Qualifying blitzes in venues all over the county were run to determine the strongest teams.
The competition commenced in Castlerea, where Gorthaganny (2 teams), Threen, Cloonfad (2 teams), Granlahan and Loughglynn all competed, with Cloonfad ‘A’ team, and Granlahan progressing to the final day. That same day and venue saw Threen girls team and the girls from Gorthaganny qualify for the next stage, with Gorthaganny chasing their second County title in 3 years.
The next qualifier took place in Skyvalley, where St. Ronan’s of Taughmaconnell, Moore, Brideswell, (2 teams), Clonown, Ballyforan and Castlesampson all did battle, with Brideswell and St. Ronan’s making it through to the finals day from their respective groups. In the girls section, the girls from Ballyforan, Clonown St. Ronan’s and Brideswell competed, with the Brideswell girls taking the top spot to make it through.
Ballinagare was the venue for the teams from The Don (2 teams), Brusna, Ballinagare, Frenchpark, Cootehall and Aughrim (2 teams) to vie for supremacy. Cootehall proved too strong for their challengers, while the home team – Ballinagare also were victorious in their group. The corresponding girls group was won by Brusna, who will appear in their first County finals day.
There were 2 qualifying days held in Lisnamult. On Tuesday March 8th, Creggs boys beat off the competition from Cloontuskert, Kilmurray A and an unlucky Whitehall team, who would possibly have qualified if they had been in a different group; while FourmileHouse beat off the challenge of Kilmurray ‘B’, Creggs ‘B’ and Runnamoate. In the girls section that day, FourmileHouse and Strokestown Convent emerged to fight again another day.
The following day, Ballymurray boys won out against Lisaniskey ‘B’, Rooskey ‘A’ and Ballyleague; Lisaniskey ‘A’ saw off the competition from Woodbrook and Tarmon ‘B’; while the Tarmon ‘A’ boys qualified at the expense of Slatta and Rooskey ‘B’. In the girls’ competition, the ladies from Ballymurray made it a double, beating Lisaniskey ‘A’, Woodbrook and Tarmon ‘B’; while Tarmon also made it a double when their Girls ‘A’ team knocked out Lisaniskey ‘B’, Rooskey and Ballyleague.
The final qualifier in the ‘A’ competitions was held in St. Johns, where the home team were very unlucky to lose out to a strong and skilful Curraghboy side. The other boys teams that day included Kilteevan, Rahara, Ballintleva and Tisrara. In the girls side of things, the girls form Ballintleva made up for their boys’ team’s disappointment by making it through to the next day, at the expense of St. John’s and Kilteevan, while Rahara saw off Curraghboy and Tisrara to also make it through.
The ‘B’ section is for schools with bigger numbers, and, for the first time in County Roscommon, there were 2 qualifying days in this section. The Athlone IT was the venue for Cloonakilla (3 boys and 2 girls teams), Cornafulla (3 boys & 3 girls teams), Summerhill (2 of each), Ballybay (1 of each) and Gaelscoil De hÍde (also 1 of each), with the boys from Cloonakilla ‘A’ and Cornafulla ‘A’ reaching the finals, while they were joined by the girls from Summerhill ‘A’ and Cornafulla ‘A’.
The second day in this category was held in Castlerea, with 10 boys teams – Roxboro 3, St. Attracta’s from Ballaghadereen 2, St. Joseph’s Boyle 2, Abbeycartron, St. Patrick’s NS, Strokestown and St. Paul’s NS of Castlerea all 1 each. Roxboro and St. Patrick’s progressed to the finals. In the girls section, Loughglynn beat St. Attracta’s ‘A’ and Roxboro ‘B’ to qualify, while Roxboro ‘A’ beat St. Attracta’s ‘B’ and Abbeycartron to make it through.
In a whole new category, Scoil Mhuire were the only school in the Girls ‘C’ section, so they automatically qualify for the Connacht finals, to be held in Milebush Park, Castlebar on April 27. Best of luck girls.
All the qualifying teams will play again in the Roscommon County Finals on Wednesday, April 6in Shiven Rovers ground, Newbridge for the honour of representing the county in the Connacht final. Many thanks are due to the schools and teachers who entered and accompanied the teams to their blitzes, often in extremely inclement weather and without any word of complaint. Also, to the various clubs and organisations who made their all-weather facilities available, a huge vote of thanks is due.
Without these facilities, it would have proven impossible to run this competition, so “Go raibh mile maith agaibh” to Alan “Beano” Kennedy and Castlerea Celtic; to Brian Morohan and Ballinagare FC; to Nigel Brooks and Skyvalley Rovers; to Jimmy Darcy and Niall Kelly in St John’s, and to the Lisnamult Residents Association for the use of their fine facility as well as Maz Sweeney in the Athlone Institute of Technology for all her help. Without referees, there would be no chance of competitions, so to David Brady, John Hannon, Andy Thubron and Damien Jordan, as well as the match officials in Athlone, also, “Thank you all very much.” Our main sponsors this year, are once again SPAR, and we thank them for their generosity in making this all possible for the second year in a row.
If you’re a football fan, or even just a sports fan, why not come along to Shiven on Wednesday, April 6 where you’re guaranteed to see some good, high quality football, with all the thrills and spills of a competition, where the ultimate prize is to play in our national stadium on national finals day.
SPAR FAI Primary School 5s Competition
Schedule of Events
REGIONAL
Dublin: April 13, Irishtown Stadium, Ringsend
Mid Leinster: April 13, Portlaoise Leisure Centre, Laois (Offaly, Laois, Kildare, Kilkenny)
North Leinster: April 21, MDL Grounds, Trim Road, Navan, Meath (Louth, Meath, Westmeath, Longford)
South Leinster: April 21, Bunclody AFC, Wexford (Wexford, Wicklow, Carlow)
PROVINCIAL
Munster Final: April 20, Ferrybank AFC, Waterford
Ulster Final: April 21, Lakeside, Aileach FC, Burnfoot, Inishowen, Donegal
Connacht Final: April 27, Milebush Park, Castlebar, Mayo
Leinster Final: April 28, MDL Grounds, Trim Road, Navan, Meath
NATIONAL
SPAR FAI Primary School 5s National Finals: May 11, Aviva Stadium, Dublin